So what do you think about on a long run?

This is a question people keep asking me  . . . .

Well here are my thoughts well as much as I can recall from today’s 22miler . . . .

Oh god my legs ache today, still feel sore from the sports massage, never mind give it a few miles and I’m sure I will warm up, run past harps estate, wonder if she is up yet and getting ready for her run . . why have I chosen a route that has an uphill start I don’t like uphill starts . . Kay, give over that’s not really uphill . .yes it is . . .passing top of sue street  now . .reckon she will already be out on her run . . who would have thought it am so proud of her . . .  the Leeds united song comes on TSR playlist . . .  Yippee - downhill now, at the side of Gotts park . . . I miss the club hill sessions we used to do up here, still smile at the joy of whooping Debra arse up here once, only happened once though, wonder what time she will get at Liverpool half today, bet she beats my PB! On to the canal think I feel something rubbing under my foot, remember Paul Warrens horrendous blister at Liverpool, pass a bench think I’ll just check, trainer off sock off . . em can’t see anything . . . off again feels better . . . check Garmin . . too fast . . PACE Kay PACE . . .wonder if Liz has set off from Silsden yet? . . . I should have done some signs saying GO LIZ GO and pinned them to the trees to cheer her on . . .and some for Nicky and Harp as they will be doing an out and back later  . . .don’t blame them for deciding not to do the 22mile . .would have to be bio degradable signs though as don’t think Liz would want to take them down and carry them home . . . . wish I had got up when my alarm went off, I would be half way round now . . . still going too fast . . . know I said id try a few miles at marathon pace but not faster . . .wonder if the naked manikin will be out this morning . . . do a side step to avoid a dog that comes to say hello . . oh now what is that digging in my toe . . .have I strained it . .feels like something is stuck in it . . . bench there . .trainer and sock off other foot . . nope nothing . .feels ok now . . .gosh passing through Rodley already . . hope kids aren’t falling out  . . .oh who is that I can see up in front . .looks a bit like, Linda G, Bernadette and Hilary . .don ‘t even think about trying to catch them . . look at that that torn high viz workman’s jacket it was there last week . . one day I will come down with a bin bag . . .must remember to do Adele’s passport application form . . wonder how much it will cost me to kit her out for her trip to Germany. . Think I’m gaining on Linda, Bernadette and Hilary . . maybe if I shout . . .”LINDA . . .  LINDA” they turn I wave . . em may be it isn’t them . .check my Garmin still too fast my legs are going to blow . . . hate this bit of the canal so stony it’s hard to run on . . . oh look I’ve caught them . . woops no it’s not Linda, Bernadette and Hilary . . “sorry” we all have a laugh and I pass on . . some cyclist wiz pass me, gosh he looks just like Roy (my first boyfriend) oh he is stopping to come off the canal, really looks like him, it can’t be, can it,   . .ROY?? I hear myself call  . . he looks at me puzzled, ”oh sorry you looked like someone I once knew” . . . actually now I think about it he looked like Roy looked 30 years ago . . . 30 years OMG . . wonder what he is doing now . . . nearly at the marina at Apperlybridge have had a few drunken nights staggering round that marina, it’s a wonder none of us ever fell in . .  .still miss Shelley . . wonder if Derek will be at home probably out enjoying his retirement  . . not had a gel yet should have one although not feeling hungry . . .time to turn off . . but if I keep going I could meet up with Liz running in from Silsden . .I’ll stick to my plan though as need to come off to buy water . . Time to tackle that hill . . . TSR comes into my thoughts, is it really only a week since I ran along here grumbling to myself that he had not called from the airport as he normally does . . .he did send me an early morning text . .I guess he thought I would still be tucked up in bed not out running the 20 miles id not done on Friday . . .can’t believe I ran all those miles last week . . that is why my legs are struggling to get me up this hill now . . come on Kay . . . It’s such a lovely road this . .wonder how much that house sold for, more than I could afford I’m sure . .  .come on Kay . . .up . . . just a little walk . . up . . .now this is what I call a hill . . .   it’s not your legs Kay it’s your mind that’s telling you its too hard today . . oh dear god . .and I’ve made it up to the main road . . .time for another gel I think . .nearly out of water . .my legs ache now  . . . that’s 11 mile done half way . .   downhill yippee . . wish I had cooked that mince ready for tea . .best text kids check they are ok . .  .where is all this traffic come from I can’t get across the road  . . . Oh look there is a light blue (I still think its grey) Lexus maybe its TSR come to rescue me . . don’t be daft he is somewhere between Leeds and Lanzarote . . . my thoughts turn to Once by Morris Gleitzman which I have just read as part of our book club and emotional me feels the tears rise up . . .finally Tesco express . . water needed . . . might see Ralph out joggling  . . . turn off Kirkstall road and head towards ring road legs not happy, knew I was going too fast before . . oh I’m hungry . . wish I had a better team last night . . oh and here we are the lovely ring road . . .up . . .right need to cross  . . .time for a loo stop at MacDonald’s . .oh what I would do for a large cappuccino right now . . .best text kids  . .phew all ok . .  oh look another grey (sorry Blue) Lexus maybe this one’s TSR cos my legs really ache . . .wish I could remember when he said he would be back . . maybe he is in that plane above me . . .oh perhaps he could parachute down like James Bond with a Large MacDonald’s cappuccino in his hand for me . . . come on Kay a bit more uphill and you will be at Weetwood . . .pass north west house the PCT HQ . ..think about work . . .must get that PPI plan finished before the 30^th March . . wonder if I will even be able to get in to my office on Monday . .or if they will have taken the carpet up yet . . .PPI plan don’t forget Kay . . . I best start taking my sponsor form into work . .what day will be best to do a bun sale . . . this is getting hard now . . but soon be at one of my favourite spots . . .just need to cross Weetwood round about . . a bit more boring ring road . .I’m sure there is a nicer route through I once walked with my best boy mate PA . .  ah well here we are donkey sanctuary and dam forgot there is a bit more up here, my legs are definitely slowing . . .a track comes on that reminds me of TSR and another . . . when exactly do you have to get your census form done by? . . .here we are at last left down down down through the hollies and into Meanwood park . . . I pass some people cycling up , rather them than me . . past the little bridge over Meanwood beck oh it is so many years ago that my friend and I lite up our first cigarette . . .what a fool . . still its ten years since my last . .I can’t imagine ever smoking again . . really hope the kids never start . . . through the park smiling as I remember happy childhood playtimes . .hunting for tadpoles . .my brothers seeing how high they could push me on the swing . . . I go the back way to the old tannery ( now posh apartments) and try to imagine my 3 brothers David, Alan, Duncan, using it as their playground oh so many years ago . .which one was it that years later confessed to crawling about in the tunnels that ran underneath it . . I laugh out loud as I recall the tale of David and Dobbin the mechanical horse . . out into Monkbridge road and I study the house my brothers grew up in till I came along and they had to move . . I wonder if I was conceived there knowing how cheeky my dad was wouldn’t surprise me I f I wasn’t, I walk across the road . .legs don’t want to run now but still 6miles to go . . .across to grove lane . .wonder if my mum will be in . . should I stop . .could do with more water . . but if I stop I won’t get going . . past my mums, I can see her sat in a chair reading . . .if I am just half the wonderful mum she is then I will be happy . .  .feel bad not stopping but know I would just stop, drink tea eat all her biscuits and have a good chat, so I blow her a kiss and send her my love . . .now I’m slowing now . . maybe now is the time to see if I can do a mile at marathon pace . . . so many road works make it difficult . . .yeah have reached marathon pace . . yeah . .but oh hang on I’m walking again. . let’s get going again  . . wonder if David is at the farm today . . I have walked along this road so many times . .  . it just goes on and on for ever . .need more water stop at garage top up and off again. . .reach Sheepscar stop my Gramin while I wait forever to cross the road . . remember how I once walked thigh deep in to a hole of wet cement when they were creating Sheepscar intersection . . . wonder how Liz is doing . .  . I might just see her as I head back on the canal . . bet she is fancying some chips right now . . pass the road TSR office is on . .is his car there?  . .no silly me of course not  . .he is getting ready to parachute out of an aeroplane with a MacDonald’s cappuccino . .wonder if he would bring some chips for Liz as well? . . .wonder if the greedy pig will be open . . nope . .just another 4ish miles to go  . .is that right . . hang on the Garmin hasn’t moved . . F**K I didn’t start it going again . . that means I’m going to have to do extra to get to my 22 . . oh well will make up for the few little walk steps I have had . . oh dear god legs are aching now and what is that pain in my bum cheek?  . . .oh that’s a nice dress . .have no idea what shop I’m running past . . wonder if these people in this bus shelter think I’m mad as I run through . . . ah at last the calls . .over the bridge and turn to head back . .down on to the canal walk way  . .bloody ell  who locked that gate . . never mind this way . . and finally pick the canal up properly at Granary Wharf all looks very nice . .STEPS where did they come from . .I’ve run 20 miles I can’t walk up steps . . right settle in now just two more miles . . hope I see Liz  . .can tell her TSR is bringing her some chips . . hope I see Nicky and Harp . . legs ache  . . just a little walk . . I’m not going to come off the canal till I’ve finished don’t care if I have longer to walk home . . 1 mile to go . .  come on Kay . .just 12 more minutes to run . . let’s have one more go at that marathon pace . .wow am I really running that fast . . 10 minutes to go  . . come on 8 . .7 . .6 . .you can do this Kay there is the finish line . . .5. . .4 . . just 2 min 1  . .and STOP . . .  wow 9.57 last lap . . . I think I might just be dead!